Film on Tipu Sultan: BJP warns Rajinikanth against playing lead role; know the controversy

New Delhi, Sept 15: BJP and some other hardline outfits in Tamil Nadu have warned superstar Rajnikant not to do a film based on the life of Tipu Sultan.

Calling Tipu Sultan an anti-Tamil ruler, BJP along with some other organizations told Rajnikant not to accept lead role in the film. On Sunday, leaders of various parties BJP, Hindu Munnani, and the Hindu Makkal Katchi held a protest over the same.

Reportedly, a leading Kannada producer Ashok Kheny had recently announced that he was planning to make a movie on Tipu Sultan.The Producer had expressed his desire to rope in superstar Rajnikant in the film.

What parties are saying?

It is being said that BJP finds Sultan a murderer and any attempt to glorify the ruler will be taken as an offence.

Talking about the issue, BJP leader L Ganesan was quoted by Indian Express as saying, "Tipu was an aggressor, who committed maximum atrocities against Hindus. Rajinikanth will never take up a role to portray such a character".

He further added, "Knowing the history, how can I be silent when there are attempts to glorify foreigners who invaded us and our culture".

Speaking in the similar tone, leader of Hindu Munnani Ramagopalan said that atrocities were inflicted upon Tamils during Tipu Sultan's rule and a film about him would be considered an insult to Tamils. In support of the claim, he cited some portions from the autobiography of M G Ramachandran where the former Chief Minister had said how his ancestors had to shift from one place to another because of ruthless attack by Tipu Sultan.

Adamant on their stand that they will not allow to screen the movie, Hindu Makkal Katchi Senthil Kumar said, "Tipu Sultan was the leader who robbed this country. Rajinikanth is a person who portrays himself as a spiritual leader... Such a person should not be acting in a Tipu Sultan movie".

Producer's stand

Meanwhile, Bengaluru-based producer Ashok Kheny, who offered the role to Rajinikanth, seemed baffled by the controversy.

"It (movie on Tipu Sultan) is still in a conceptualisation stage. I have discussed about the idea of doing a movie on Tipu with Rajinikanth, because Tipu's story was suppressed by British. He had asked me to come out with a script," Kheny, who is also a member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, told PTI.

Reacting to the opposition regarding Rajinikanth acting in the proposed movie, he said, "I don't know why they are doing all this. If Tipu was such a divisive figure then why do we have lessons on him for our children? They are doing it just to create controversy...

"We have heard that there were Hindu temples in his court towards which he showed highest regard, many of his close confidants were Hindus, with all this how can he be anti- Hindu," he asked.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agency)